'Manhattan Madam' Kristin Davis busted on drug charges

NEW YORK, Aug. 7 (UPI) -- The New York city controller candidate who says she provided prostitutes to former Gov. Eliot Spitzer has been accused of dealing prescription pills.

Kristin Davis, 36, the former "Manhattan Madam" who said she provided prostitutes to the former governor, who is also one of her rivals for the controller's office, was released Tuesday on $10,000 bond and her lawyer said she will plead not guilty to four counts of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute a controlled substance, the New York Daily News reported Wednesday.

Davis, who is considered a long shot candidate for New York city controller, was arrested on allegations of selling prescription pills including amphetamines, oxycodone and muscle relaxants to an FBI informant.

Daniel Hochheiser, Davis' attorney, described the charges as "a hearsay complaint based on the unsworn statements of an admitted drug dealer seeking leniency."

However, authorities said they have audio and video recordings of Davis' dealings with the undercover informant.

Davis served nearly four months in prison in 2008 for heading a prostitution ring that she claimed had Spitzer as a client. Spitzer, who resigned from office when his encounter with a different prostitute was revealed, has denied using Davis' service.

United Press International is a leading provider of news, photos and information to millions of readers around the globe via UPI.com and its licensing services.

With a history of reliable reporting dating back to 1907, today’s UPI is a credible source for the most important stories of the day, continually updated - a one-stop site for U.S. and world news, as well as entertainment, trends, science, health and stunning photography. UPI also provides insightful reports on key topics of geopolitical importance, including energy and security.

A Spanish version of the site reaches millions of readers in Latin America and beyond.

UPI was founded in 1907 by E.W. Scripps as the United Press (UP). It became known as UPI when after a merger with the International News Service in 1958, which was founded in 1909 by William Randolph Hearst. Today, UPI is owned by News World Communications.